Summary
Building the Z Stage should take approximately 30 minutes.
Parts List
These are the parts you'll need to assemble the Z Stage. All laser-cut parts should have their names etched into them. Find and put aside these parts:
- Laser-cut Stage Parts
- Z Back
- Z Top
- Z Bottom
- Z Left Side
- Z Right Side
- Z Ribs
- One Z Motor Flange*
- Four (4) M3x10 socket cap bolts
- Eighteen (18) M3x16 socket cap bolts
- Eighteen (18) M3 nuts
- Four (4) 3/8" self-aligning bearings
*The Z Motor Flange ships on the precision threaded rod in the Thing-O-Matic Motor Kit.
Insert Press Fit Bearings
Snap them into place on the Bottom and Top pieces. Make sure they don't wiggle or move. If they do, simply add some hot glue or super glue to hold them in place during use.
Attach Ribs to Back
Secure the two Rib pieces to the Back. These ribs are symmetrical, so they just need to look like the picture.
Attach Left and Right to Back
Secure the Left and Right sides to the Back. In the newest versions the printed text goes right-side-up on the inside. In older versions (pictured below) the printed text goes on the outside and ends up upside-down.
Bolt Z Motor Flange to Top
If your are building the your Bot for use with a Heated Build Platform, we recommend that the flange is placed above the top plate, rather than below, as pictured. This allows for additional travel of the Z stage below the height of the Automated Build Surface platform level. Just flip the flange and install it with the neck of the flange pointing up.
Your Thing-O-Matic may come with one of two brands of Z motors. The Kysan motor is black and metalic. The Moons motor is all black. This step is slightly different for each brand of motor.
Kysan stepper motor
Secure the flange nice and tight using four M3x10 bolts. The hole may require some slight sanding to allow the flange to fit.
If your kit contains two top plates with slightly different bolt spacings, just use the one that fits the Z Motor Flange included in your kit.
Moons stepper motor
Place the nut flange on the top plate with the neck facing out. Insert four M2x10 bolts through the nut as shown. When assembling the Z stage this side should face upward.
Place an M2 washer on the back of each bolt. Screw a nut onto each bolt and tighten.
If your kit contains two top plates with slightly different bolt spacings, just use the one that fits the Z Motor Flange included in your kit.
Attach Top to Assembly
This will lock things in place nicely. This piece is also symmetrical. It's not shown in this picture, but you should use bolts on the ribs here as well.
Attach Bottom to Assembly
This will "seal the deal" and complete the assembly. This piece is also symmetrical. It's not shown in this picture, but you should use bolts on the ribs here as well.
Tighten It All Down
Now that it's all together, tighten all the bolts with 1/4- to 1/3-turns past hand tight.
Congratulations! Your Z Stage is now complete!